Parents, daycare board at odds in Guilford

Susan Misur, Register Staff

Published
12:00 am EST, Friday, February 17, 2012

GUILFORD -- A group of parents is up in arms over a nonprofit daycare's board of directors' decision to promote its president to interim director, alleging the volunteer board is withholding information and breaking its own bylaws.

The Guilford Day Care's board recently named former board President Dawn Ross to interim director and plans to form a search committee for a new director because existing facility leader Pam Orton is retiring March 2. However, parents are frustrated because the center's bylaws dictate that a director position can only be filled after advertising for applicants, and because Orton announced her retirement months ago in October.

They've asked to speak with the board about the choice or inquire about Ross' qualifications for the job, but have been "stonewalled," daycare client Alexandra Gross said Friday. A group of around 40 parents also met Thursday night at the Nathanael B. Greene Community Center to discuss the situation.

"We don't understand where this is coming from and why they don't want to work with us to make this right. We're offering to help; we're not trying to obstruct the process or be difficult. We're just trying to get the best services for our kids," Gross said.

The daycare is a program of the Guilford Center for Children, a well-known nonprofit that recently moved into a renovated farm building with the help of state funding and installed a new playground following a donation campaign.

Gross and fellow parent Heather Colby said parents "love" the facility and have become invested in its future, pointing out that parents whose children have "graduated" from the center also attended Thursday night's meeting.

According to Gross and Colby, parents have requested multiple times to meet with the board, but members haven't helped to coordinate a meeting. "It concerns us because if they're not talking to us about this. What else are they not telling us?" Colby said.

Parents decided to draft a letter to the board requesting that the director position be posted and that Orton be encouraged to train the new candidate. Because the organization is a nonprofit, a new director must be experienced with grant-writing and other non-childcare tasks, Gross and Colby said.

Orton declined to comment specifically on the situation, but said, "My interest, as always, has been in the future of our center going forward and the education of the children. ... I think there's a great opportunity for a new director to take the center even further than I have."

Attorney Robert Noonan, who represents the board, released on behalf of board President Helena Alves a statement Friday that said, "The Board determined that the appropriate response would be to appoint an interim director and structure a formal search for candidates. ... The Board welcomes the input of parents, staff and others interested in the important work performed by the Guilford Center for Children."